Professor of Speech Kirstin Kiledal has assumed the role of Director of Forensics, a position formerly held by Professor of Theatre James Brandon.
After selecting Kiledal at the end of last semester, Brandon announced the decision two weeks ago. Kiledal will oversee administration of the three forensics teams: debate, individual events, and mock trial.
“Dr. Kiledal has been working with this for a while, and she is ready and suited to take over the administrative position,” Brandon said.
Brandon, whose passion is for theater history and directing, said he will now devote his time to that.
“I’ve been able to do all these things, but my energies have been dissipated,” he said. “Maybe the hardest part is not being able to focus on the things I really love.”
Kiledal was on the original debate and individual events teams when she attended Hillsdale. She also taught during her postgraduate studies at Ball State University and assisted at Pennsylvania State University.
“Dr. Brandon came in at a time when there was no I.E. program,” she said. “He saw a need to return that to Hillsdale College. Since that time, he has spent significant energy not only maintaining but growing our programs in terms of their capacity for education, for whole-student engagement, and for competitive success.”
Brandon added that the change is not sudden or unplanned and that the transition of ceeding responsibilities has been underway for a few years. He also said he tried not to micromanage the teams but give the coaches leeway in accomplishing their goals.
“I probably only held on as long as I did because I really love the people I’m working with,” Brandon said. “I’m not involved in the day to day anymore, but I get to live vicariously through that.”
Kiledal said her new position includes mostly institutional knowledge, support, and assistance with administration or problems that may arise.
“It is about trying to find a way to allow each team its own personality, its own successes and challenges, and to create a unity as well in terms of their acceptance and respect of the other teams,” Kiledal said. “That’s something that Dr. Brandon has spent a lot of time working on.”
The programs have grown significantly since Brandon’s arrival at the college in 1998. There was a small debate program, and Brandon helped begin individual events and mock trial in the 2000s. The teams have developed and expanded under Brandon’s long-term direction, and he said the teams are consistently at the top of national competitions.
“Dr. Kiledal has been solving problems along with Dr. Brandon for as long as I’ve been a coach here,” said Matthew Warner, assistant professor of forensics and debate and individual events coach. “The general functioning of the coaches and administrators of our three teams will move forward without missing a beat.”
Assistant Professor of Speech Matthew Doggett, who also coaches debate, said Kiledal brings much experience into the position.
“She has been closely involved with the teams as the head of the speech department and adviser to the Pi Kappa Delta National Forensics fraternity,” Doggett said. “I would expect very little to change among the teams.”
Both debate and individual events look to start the season strong during their season opener Saturday at Western Kentucky University.
Although the roles have changed, both Kiledal and Warner said they will value Brandon’s advice in the future.
“Dr. Brandon is not leaving us behind,” Kiledal said. “He will forever be a supporter of this program and a mentor to the director of forensics.”
